"Procrastination is the thief of time." --Edward Young, The Complaint: Night Thoughts How can you start kicking the time stealing Dragon? 1. Identify what you really want in life: more time, more money, health, self-esteem and confidence, fulfilling relationships, a different career, or set up a business? When you waste time, it's often because what you are doing is not what you truly want. This conflict forces you to take the easy option - the bad habit option. The procrastination option...Because you believe it makes you feel good....but you pay-back by feeling guilty. 2. Good health is a choice. Choose to replace the old ways with new patterns -new believes and new actions. And good health choices will give you the energy and motivation needed to make necessary changes. 3. Action and acting are closely related. Even if you don't believe you can change then just act. Act as though you live a life without procrastination. Imagine how you would act if you were the person you deserve to be. Before you do anything, decide if this is the old procrastination DRAGON or if this is the person, you want to be. Who takes decisions....? Imagine the Old Procrastination Dragon as a black and white still photo and your new image as a colorful full motion video. 4. Banish the "Old Dragon", as soon as you hear the dragon's voice. Identify the words "dragon" uses. Identify the feeling and the picture you see. Stop the motion, turn it to a black and white still frame and burn the image in the sun. 5. Stop saying YES! You may be the "good one" - but people don't respect you for saying yes - always. They know you have no opinion. Stop that. Tell them to go to a warm place. Write down what is most important to you and focus on those areas, which will make the biggest difference to your life. 6. The Old Procrastination Dragon does not like goals. Trick the dragon and write down your personal goals - today. It doesn't matter if you believe you can achieve them. YET! You'll act them out. And your goals will motivate and give you the energy to take action. 7. List your goals. With the most important goal at the top. Each one of these must bring you closer to the person you want to be. Remember you can deviate...allow yourself to cheat -a little. As long, as you come back and touch-base with your core. 8. Banish paralysis. Break each goal into small simple steps and work on the small steps. Make a promise to yourself to achieve these small goals. And don't worry if you fail - today. As long as you work on your goals and "act it out" everyday. 9. Bribe yourself. Every time you have achieved a small step. Take a break and cheat a little. Just a little! Be happy and enjoy your war against the "Dragon". 10. Start today. And just do it! No excuses. Don't wait until you're "in the mood". The mood never comes! It is a clever camouflage and a delaying tactic. What you resist persists! Start with what is easiest, so that you experience immediate success, which will give you the fuel and motivation to upgrade and take on larger projects. Start doing any of the above and you'll be well on your way to Kicking The Wasting Time Habit. And remember, "Procrastination is the thief of time." --Edward Young A last note: Did you know that perfectionism is one of the major causes for the Procrastination Dragon. |
